A New Jacksonian Era? Part II

In Part
One of this article I documented the populist administration of Andrew
Jackson and similarities to Donald Trump's populist victory in the recent
election. I'll now try to assess the chances of a Trump presidency accomplishing
its populist agenda.

The Trumpian Era

"But you must remember, my fellow-citizens, that eternal vigilance by
the people is the price of liberty, and that you must pay the price if
you wish to secure the blessing. It is to be regretted that the rich and
powerful too often bend the acts of government to their own selfish purposes." - Andrew
Jackson

"For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards
of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished,
but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered, but
the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself,
but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your
victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs. And while they celebrated
in our nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families
all across our land. What truly matters is not which party controls our
government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. January
20th, 2017 will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of
this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten
no longer." - Donald J. Trump - Inaugural Speech

It is not a coincidence the painting in the oval office behind President Trump's
desk is of Andrew Jackson. He has promoted his presidency as a Jacksonian quest
to return government to the people. His chief strategist Steve Bannon, a student
of history, helped mold Trump's speech with echoes of Jacksonian populism:

"It was an unvarnished declaration of the basic principles of his populist
and kind of nationalist movement. It was given, I think, in a very powerful
way. I don't think we've had a speech like that since Andrew Jackson came
to the White House. But you could see it was very Jacksonian. It's got
a deep, deep root of patriotism there."

Jon Meacham, the author of the 2008 biography of Jackson
"American Lion", said the moment in which the 45th president was taking
office was "unquestionably Jacksonian." Meacham notes the similarities between
Jackson and Trump as outsiders who shook up the establishment status quo. Their
pugilistic natures struck fear into the hearts of Washington insiders, upending
their insular corrupt scheme of rewarding themselves at the expense of the
common man.

"Jackson was the first president who was not a Virginia planter or an
Adams from Massachusetts. The establishment at the time saw his election
as a potentially destabilizing democratic moment in what was largely a
republican culture."

Jackson had pledged to sweep corruption out of Washington, comparing it to
the herculean task of mucking out a "giant Augean stable." Trump's pledge to "drain
the swamp" in Washington DC parallels Jackson's rhetoric. The establishment
of the 1820s was still focused on Britain, the king and their own aristocratic
schemes until Jackson was elected by the "mob of peasants", shattering their
comfortable insular existence. The arrogant privileged establishment has treated
Trump with contempt and scorn during his entire run for the presidency.

Their fear and loathing has reached epic proportions as their ill-gotten favored
status is in danger of being obliterated by Trump's ascension to power through
an overwhelming victory propelled by "the deplorables". The establishment never
goes down without a fight. The establishment has survived for two centuries
like cockroaches who can't be exterminated, as the commoners have proven to
be easily manipulated and always open to bribes. Our descent into democracy
has made each election is an advance sale on stolen goods.

Most new presidents, including Barack Obama, receive a honeymoon period where
they are allowed to pick their cabinet and set an agenda with only token opposition
from their political opponents. The people have spoken and the country usually
comes together to support the new president. Both Trump and Jackson did not
receive that courtesy. Jackson was confronted by a hostile Congress during
his entire eight year presidency. His agenda of fighting against the powerful
entrenched interests in Washington DC, while expanding presidential powers
and the radical agenda of giving more power to the people, immediately provoked
a hostile response from the vested interests.

History is not only rhyming this time, but the response from the fetid establishment
creatures of both parties inhabiting the swamps of DC is identical to the response
received by Jackson almost 200 years ago. Trump's honeymoon didn't last 5 minutes,
as Soros and his well paid domestic terrorist organizations have waged non-stop
violent protests on behalf of the corrupt establishment. The level of disgruntlement
and faux outrage from the left wing establishment, right wing neo-cons, and
their corporate media mouthpieces, with the results of the election is historic
in its level of intense hatred, dishonesty, and blatant disregard for facts.

The Deep State ruling elite are quite happy with the existing nomenclature
of pillage, obfuscation, and propaganda which has kept them in control for
decades, if not centuries. Despite popular support for his agenda, Trump will
be met with non-stop resistance from the rich liberal elites, globalist billionaires,
Hollywood nutjobs, left wing media fake news outlets, low IQ social justice
warriors, and a myriad of other useful idiots manipulated by Soros and his
cronies. It is going to be a long tough slog, with a high likelihood of civil
chaos in the streets. Even Jackson didn't meet this level of resistance.

The issue providing fodder for the hypocritical left wingers, who never protested
for one second in the last eight years as their Nobel Peace Prize winning savior
Barack Obama droned and killed thousands of innocent Muslims in the Middle
East, is a temporary travel ban from seven failed states in the Middle East
and the construction of a border wall to stop the mass of illegal immigrants
pouring across our southern border.

Our already fraying social welfare safety net cannot withstand the addition
of millions more illegal immigrants and Muslim refugees unwilling to assimilate
and incapable of being productive tax paying members of society. The pandemonium,
crime and terrorism engulfing Europe are as clear a warning as any critical
thinking person should need. But their appears to be no critical thinkers on
the left.

Islam is a religion of hate and the only religion where their zealots kill
in the name of their god. They do not assimilate into our society, learn our
language, respect our Constitution or obey our laws. Sharia law is their only
law. The feminazis, genderless activists, communist judges and other left wing
bomb throwers express outrage and rage towards Trumps executive actions.

Their hypocrisy and obtuseness is a wonder to behold as the Saudis and other
Muslim nations treat women like dogs, while imprisoning and killing gays. Obama
droning Muslim wedding parties, blowing up a Doctors Without Borders hospital,
and causing a refugee crisis in Libya, Syria and Yemen didn't generate a peep
from the left wing, but a temporary travel ban from a few countries brings
hundreds of thousands into the streets to protest the racist, misogynist, xenophobe
Donald Trump. It would be laughable if it wasn't so sad.

Trump's divisive illegal immigration stance and rhetoric to send them back
to Mexico echoes the most controversial issue of Jackson's presidency - the
Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Indian "issue" had plagued the country even
before sovereignty from Britain. Previous administrations had tried to ignore
the issue as settlers moved westward and clashed with Indian tribes in the
South and North. Jackson was not one to ignore problems. The Act authorized
the President to negotiate treaties to buy tribal lands in the east in exchange
for lands farther west, outside of existing U.S. state borders. Jackson did
not have a high opinion of the Indian tribes he relocated.

"That those tribes [the Sac and Fox Indians] cannot exist surrounded
by our settlements and in continual contact with our citizens is certain.
They have neither the intelligence, the industry, the moral habits, nor
the desire of improvement which are essential to any favorable change in
their condition." - Andrew
Jackson

More than 45,000 American Indians were forcibly relocated to the West during
Jackson's administration. He is blamed for the Cherokee Trail of Tears, where
4,000 Indians died during their journey westward. This was a human tragedy
that could have been alleviated by a more humane relocation plan. This actually
happened in 1838 under the Van Buren administration.

Historians are divided regarding Jackson's treatment of the Indian tribes.
There was no stopping the western expansion of white settlers. Violent clashes
between Indians and white settlers were a growing problem. Further fierce conflict
was inevitable. By moving these tribes west of the Mississippi, some contend
Jackson saved more Indian lives than were lost on the journey. It will always
be regarded as the most controversial issue of Jackson's presidency.

The major difference between Trump's plan to relocate Mexicans back to their
country and keep more from entering the country, is they are here illegally.
The Indians were on their land first. The government forcefully seized their
land and used the military to relocate them outside of the current borders.
Trump's moral standing is higher than Jackson's. Spineless politicians have
ignored the illegal immigration issue for decades, but the law is clear. Without
the rule of law and enforceable borders, our country will die a slow death.
Time will tell how history judges Trump's policies regarding illegal immigrants
and refugees.

Jackson's vow to purge the government of corruption and reduce the influence
of moneyed interests echoes Trump's campaign promises to drain the swamp. Jackson
launched presidential investigations into all executive Cabinet offices and
departments. Jackson believed appointees should be hired on merit. Jackson
was truly a reformer as he asked Congress to restructure embezzlement laws,
reduce fraudulent applications for federal pensions, streamline revenue laws
to prevent evasion of custom duties, and strengthen laws to improve government
accounting. Like Trump, Jackson was a strong supporter of veterans. The Service
Pension Act of 1832 provided pensions to veterans while another act enabled
widows of Revolutionary War soldiers, who met certain criteria, to receive
their husband's pensions.

Trump filling his cabinet with billionaire business people is his Jacksonian
attempt to breathe competence and accountability into government departments.
Trump's theory is successful business people who can't be bought off by special
interests will be able to reform their departments and bring a business-like
atmosphere to a dysfunctional bureaucratic government establishment. It's guaranteed
Trump's administration will not be like any before it. Success would infuriate
the left and provide elation to Trump's everyday normal American supporters.
The danger with all administrations, as Jackson warned, is factions are formed
which endanger the liberties of the people.

"It is from within, among yourselves-from cupidity, from corruption,
from disappointed ambition and inordinate thirst for power-that factions
will be formed and liberty endangered. It is against such designs, whatever
disguise the actors may assume, that you have especially to guard yourselves." - Andrew
Jackson

Jackson's theory regarding rotation of office with competent administrators
generated what would later be called the spoils system. The political realities
of Washington, however, ultimately forced Jackson to make partisan appointments
despite his personal reservations. Ultimately, his effort to reform government
and make it operate more efficiently and for the benefit of the people failed.
Introducing ethics into an unethical corrupt system is doomed to failure.

It is very likely Trump's billionaire, high performing, large ego, results
oriented cabinet members will grow increasingly frustrated with the Washington
bureaucracy, back stabbing and gridlock. It won't be anything like running
a business and most will resign before the first term is over. This would also
echo Jackson having to replace most of his cabinet during his first term.

This brings us to the two most crucial aspects of any president's success
or failure -foreign policy and monetary policy. Trump's campaign rhetoric sounded
much like Bush Junior's bombast during the 2000 presidential campaign. No nation
building, no invading sovereign countries, stop provoking Russia, and defending
our southern border were his campaign promises.

Even though Jackson was a military hero, his eight year presidency was peaceful,
with absolutely no armed conflict with any other countries. It seems men who
have known the horrors of war tend to utilize the use of military force as
a last resort. Obama and Bush, having not faced death on the battlefield, used
the military to kill indiscriminately across the globe. Jackson promoted trade
with other nations, rather than confrontation.

The U.S. has been at perpetual war since the creation of the Federal Reserve
in 1913. Trump's oratory during the campaign was reminiscent of Ron Paul's
non-interventionist doctrine. He declared we would no longer attempt to fix
broken countries through military intervention. In his first three weeks in
office he has surrounded himself with war-like advisors who have already provoked
Russia and China.

Trump has threatened Iran and North Korea with retaliation for missile launch
tests. Despite Trump's desire to reduce the number of conflicts he has our
military responding to, the military industrial complex and their neo-con supporters
in Congress continue to provoke conflict around the globe. His efforts to normalize
relations with Russia will be met with resistance every step of the way. Trump's
chance of an eight year presidency with no major foreign conflict is very low.

It seemed improbable that Andrew Jackson, a one-time land speculator, slave
trader, opponent of debtor relief and wartime nationalist, would become the
voice of the common man. By the 1820s Jackson's personal business experiences
had transformed his opinions about speculation and paper money, leaving him
everlastingly mistrustful of the credit system in general and banks in particular.

Jackson most certainly walked the talk when it came to purging the government
of the undue influence by unelected private bankers over the economy and government.
His war on Second Bank of United States and ensuing hard money policies were
a victory for the average man against the moneyed aristocracy. His victory
was hollow, as Jackson was unfairly blamed for the subsequent depression and
ultimately the bankers regained their capture over the economic and political
levers of power in this country.

While on the campaign trail Trump railed against the Federal Reserve and Janet
Yellen. He declared the central bank was politicized and responsible for the
past and ongoing bubbles in the financial markets. He asserted, without equivocation,
the ridiculously low interest rates kept in place in perpetuity by the Federal
Reserve were a major cause of the non-existent economic growth and the ongoing
malaise infecting the economy. He stated the stock market was a bubble about
to burst again, for the third time in the last sixteen years.

Of course, he was absolutely correct, but his tone and relative silence on
the matter since his election may tell a different story. When the stock market
went to new all-time highs after his election he hailed it as an endorsement
of his economic plan. I haven't heard him asking for higher interest rates
to pop the multiple bubbles in stocks, bonds and real estate. Presidents seem
to acquire tunnel vision when it comes to acknowledging bubbles during their
reign of power.

Anyone with a grasp of history knows the Federal Reserve's mandate of maintaining
stable prices has been an undeniable catastrophic failure. The "goal" of 2%
inflation is not stable prices, it's inflationary prices. The rate of inflation
during the Jacksonian era was virtually 0%. From the founding of the country,
except for periods of war, through the industrial revolution the country experienced
mild deflation. This all ended in 1913 when a few corrupt politicians handed
over the power of currency debasement and debt creation to private banking
interests.

Central banks and wars go hand in hand. The U.S. would not be able to wage
perpetual war without the man-made inflation and debt production by the Federal
Reserve bankers. Since the creation of the Federal Reserve prices have risen
fourteen-fold, destroying the working middle class and shoving tens of millions
to the brink of poverty.

Trump knows the score. One wonders whether every new president is ushered
into a room by the Deep State controllers and issued their marching orders
when it comes to Wall Street, the Fed, and the military industrial complex.
With a $20 trillion national debt and $200 trillion of unfunded welfare liabilities,
Trump has no choice but to support the Fed's near zero interest rate policy
and continuing the falsification of inflation data to keep the sheep in the
dark as they are led to slaughter. His selection of alumni from the Vampire
Squid on the Face of America (aka Goldman Sachs) as his key financial advisors
does not bode well for the common man who elected him.

He doesn't appear to have the courage and fortitude of Jackson when it comes
to taking on the vested financial interests who have engineered a silent coup
over the last few decades. Without their support, his tax cuts, border wall,
infrastructure plans, and rebuilding the military would be DOA. His plans require
more debt issuance and low interest rates. He will play along to get what he
wants.

There will be no routing out of central bank thieves and vipers during Trump's
watch. He also won't be paying off the national debt anytime soon. With social
welfare programs on automatic pilot, tax cuts, tariffs, and new spending initiatives,
annual deficits will approach $1 trillion again. There is nothing Jacksonian
about that. Trump is handcuffed by a financial house of cards created over
decades.

If he chose to take on the financial interests who rule this country, they
would create an economic collapse like the world has never seen and/or remove
Trump from office through legitimate (impeachment) or illegitimate (assassination)
means. I know he is less than one month into his presidency and his intentions
on a plethora of crucial issues are well meaning, but the odds are overwhelming
stacked against him somehow making government work for the people.

The law of large numbers works against Trump, while not hampering Jackson.
The national debt was $60 million and the population was less than 13 million
when Jackson took office. With a national debt of $20 trillion and deeply divided,
relatively ignorant, and mostly apathetic population of 330 million, Trump
doesn't have the financial flexibility or popular mandate to accomplish making
America great again. That ship has sailed. He appears destined to govern during
a time of civil chaos and ultimately financial collapse. And the climax will
likely be a major global conflict involving Russia and/or China.

A major difference between the Jacksonian Era and the Trumpian Era is Jackson
governed during the Second Turning Transcendental Awakening period. His populism
and reforms were welcomed by the majority of the country. The mood of the country
was awakened to social progress and utopian experiments to improve society.
Trump has come to power in the midst of a Fourth
Turning. Conflict, chaos, and crisis drive events during a Fourth
Turning. There will be no overwhelming acceptance of any reforms put forward
by Trump. Everything he attempts will be met with resistance. Despite his desire
for peaceful relations with other nations, he is destined to be a wartime president.

Trump will most certainly accomplish the relatively easy stuff - cutting taxes,
building a wall, increasing funding for the military, spending more on infrastructure,
and repealing Obamacare. If he wanted to leave a legacy on par with Andrew
Jackson's he would break up the Too Big To Trust Wall Street banks; reinstate
the Glass-Steagal Act; clamp down on, if not dissolve, the activist Federal
Reserve; eliminate all income based taxes and replace with a consumption tax;
tackle the unfunded social benefit issue head on and make the programs smaller
but viable over the long-term; drastically reduce the size of every government
agency, if not eliminating many altogether; pass term limit legislation for
the House and Senate; and lastly, stop policing the world while dramatically
reducing our military presence across the globe. Will Trump have the courage
to do any of the hard stuff? If not, the decline of the American Empire is
inevitable.